'Kim Dae-won's fantastic equalizer': Team K-League suffers 1-3 defeat to Manchester City... 'In just 45 minutes' four-goal explosion [Sangam on-site review]

*This content was translated by AI.

Team K-League engaged in a fierce offensive battle against English Premier League (EPL) powerhouse Manchester City.

Coached by Jung Jeong-yong, Team K-League suffered a 1-3 defeat in a friendly match against Manchester City, the first leg of the 2026 Coupang Play Series held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the afternoon of the 5th at 8 p.m.

On this day, Team K-League deployed Yago and Lee Dong-kyung (both from Ulsan HD) as strikers. Kim Dae-won (Gangwon FC), Mateus (FC Anyang), Kim Bong-soo (Daejeon Hana Citizen), and Park Tae-jun (Kim Cheon (SVP)) formed the midfield, while Eo Jeong-won (Pohang Steelers), Lee Gi-hyeok (Gangwon), Yazan (FC Seoul), and Kim Moon-hwan (Daejeon) formed a back four defensive line. Song Beom-geun (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors) guarded the goal.

Manchester City, led by coach Enzo Maresca, fielded their strongest lineup. Leading the front line was Devin Mubama, followed by Rayan Ait Nouri, Phil Foden, and Antoine Semenyo in the second wave. The midfield was handled by Mateo Kovacic and Tani Leander, while Abdoukader Houssein, Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias, and Rico Lewis were positioned in defense. Gianluigi Donnarumma wore the goalkeeper's armor.

Manchester City immediately seized control from the start of the match. In the 9th minute of the first half, a ball that drifted out in a chaotic situation inside the penalty area was connected by Ait Nouri with a right-footed shot, curling into the far corner of the right goal.

Team K-League responded immediately. In the 12th minute of the first half, Kim Dae-won beat a defender near the goal and unleashed a powerful low right-footed shot that passed between Dias's legs, shaking the left net. It was a exquisite trajectory that even goalkeeper Donnarumma could not stop.

However, Manchester City's firepower was sharp. In the 20th minute of the first half, Leander received a skillful heel pass from Semenyo and scored again with a right-footed shot to take the lead. Then, in the 24th minute, although goalkeeper Song Beom-geun saved Semenyo's sharp left-footed mid-range shot, Mubama who had penetrated into the penalty area pushed it in again to record the third goal.

Team K-League made an early change in the 35th minute of the first half by substituting Son Jeong-beom (Seoul) for Kim Bong-soo. In stoppage time of the first half, Yago connected with a header following Lee Dong-kyung's through pass and Kim Moon-hwan's cross, but the ball narrowly missed the goalpost, leaving them disappointed.

Immediately after the start of the second half, both teams made numerous substitutions. Team K-League brought in Ki Sung-yueng, Lee Seung-woo, Mugoza, Kwon Kyung-won, Gu Seong-yun, and others. Manchester City also made changes by bringing on Gvardiol, Dias, Houssein, and Donnarumma.

Thereafter, Manchester City substituted Omar Marmoush for Foden in the 12th minute of the second half, while Team K-League brought in Kim Ryoung-seong in the 24th minute and Moon Min-seo in the 25th minute. After a fierce back-and-forth battle until the final moments of the match, it concluded with a 3-1 victory for Manchester City.

Manchester City, which has won numerous trophies including six EPL titles and one UEFA Champions League (UCL) title over 10 seasons under manager Pep Guardiola, recorded second place in the 2025-2026 league season and appointed Maresca, a former assistant coach, as their new head coach to prepare for the 2026-2027 season.

Manchester City, which visited Korea on a pre-season tour, will face Spanish powerhouse Atletico Madrid in the second leg of the Coupang Play Series at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on the 9th.

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*This content was translated by AI.